144 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIS'T. 
question and answer in Zech. 4 ch., 11-14, and the reference in 
Psa. 52., v., 8, “I am like a green olive-tree in the house of 
God,” and that in Rev. 11 ch., 4, “These are the two olive-trees 
and the two candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth.” 
In all of these quotations, however, olive is a mistranslation. In 
Isa. 41 ch., 19, the Hebrew ec shemen is correctly translated “oil 
tree”:—“TI will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah 
tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree.”” This in all probability 
refers to the oleaster (Hleagnus angustifolia) a small tree abun- 
dant in Palestine, which bears a bitter berry yielding an in- 
ferior oil. The timber is hard and closegrained and well suited 
for carving. ; 
Palm. The palm of the Bible is the ordinary date-palm 
(Phoenix dactilifera). The generic name phoenix refers to the 
springing up of several young trees from the roots of old ones 
which have been destroyed. Different parts of this tree were 
put to most varied uses. The great spreading leaves yielded 
thatch for the houses, while couches, baskets, bags and numerous 
other articles were made from them. From the fibre of the leaf- 
stalks rope and twine were spun. According to Gibbon, the 
natives of Palestine record over 360 uses to which different 
parts of this tree were put. The palm wine prepared from the 
sap is supposed to be the “strong drink” denounced in Isa. 5 ch., 
11; and 24 ch., 9, as this, being made from more concentrated. 
juice, would be much more potent than that made from grape 
juice in the then customary manner. 
The holy place or sanctuary of the temple was looked upon 
as representing the actual presence of God, and this was sym- 
bolised by palm trees engraved on the walls and doors, between 
Cherubim. The palm-tree from its longevity and productive- 
ness and the fancied resemblance of the great crown of leaves 
to the sun’s rays, had come to be considered as a symbol of the 
Divine presence, the forerunner of the body of Christ, just as 
the sacred banyan tree (Iicus religiosa) is revered by the Hindus 
“because of its long endurance, its outstretched arms, and its 
overshadowing heneficence, is regarded as a symbol of the Deity.” 
In 1 Kings, 6 ch., 29, 32, 35, in the account of the fittings of 
the sanctuary, we read “he carved thereon cherubim and palm- 
trees and open flowers,” and again in Wzek. 41 ch., 18-20, 25, 26, 
“and it was made with cherubim and palm trees, so that a palm 
tree was between a‘cherub and a cherub.’ 
Pomegranate. (Punica granatum). The promised land 
was described (Deut. 8 ch., 8; Numb. 13 ch., 23), as “a land 
